Jasmine Bartlett February 25‚2013 TR 9:30-10:50 COMP2 Professor A. Westbrook The Reality of the American Dream The American Dream is a national philosophy of the United States‚ a set of ideals in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success‚ and an upward social mobility achieved through hard work. In the definition of the American Dream by James Truslow Adams in 1931 he stated “life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone‚ with opportunity for each
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Robinson‚ “The American Dream‚ the idea of the happy ending‚ is an avoidance of responsibility and commitment” (http://www.brainyquote.com). What Robinson is saying is that a lot of people expect to achieve the American Dream‚ i.e. happiness‚ through the accumulation of external things‚ meanwhile avoiding the true origins of happiness‚ which are internal. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s‚ The Great Gatsby‚ Jay Gatsby’s character also faces this dilemma as he reaches for the American Dream‚ believing that
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Society’s Influence on the American Dream "Do as most do‚ and men will speak well of thee." [Thomas Fuller (1654-1734):Gnomologia] Men have a dream to improve their lives and better their social status but each man does not realize that he pursues this dream in hopes of pleasing others and not for his own well being. Fuller’s quotation demonstrates that people find success and social mobility if they act and do what others want them to do. The American dream of success and happiness can not be
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to achieve personal fulfillment‚ and overall be successful; the basis of the American Dream. Regardless of where you are born or what class you’re in‚ you have the possibility of moving upward. Both native-born Americans and American immigrants pursue and can achieve the American dream. Now‚ many think that the American dream has died‚ or is progressively dying as time goes on. Even still‚ for some the American dream is still very much real‚ and very much a goal for them. These people are the poor
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characters and their individual American Dreams. The novel took place in the 1920s‚ post-World War I‚ where American pride‚ wealth‚ luxuries‚ and all other superficialities were glorified. During this time‚ the American people became ambitious‚ and economic success was made their main goal. The notion of “money can buy happiness” was prominent and people of all walks of life believed in it. While this may have seemed like a positive outlook‚ it resulted in Americans becoming “a restless‚ dissatisfied
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The American Dream is something that is defined differently by those who are asked about it. If you were to ask my parents what the American Dream meant to him without hesitation they would say opportunity. Opportunity for a better life. Growing up my parents always told me how lucky me and my brother were. Lucky to have free education and health care. My parents are from India‚ when traveling to India you see the fine difference between an easy going life in a place like America and a chaotic
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A modern take on the American dream A life with no worries and without the curse of responsibility is known to be the “American Dream.” Everyone might have their own opinions on this concept but to me I see it as a person’s perfect ideal lifestyle‚ a life of happiness and success to an extent one feels fits those standards. Today many don’t grasp the right concept of this dream and feel as if it’s dead and unattainable when in theory it can be achieved in many ways depending on how one sees it
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struggle of achieving the American dream‚ and how much a person is willing to do to reach it. The book’s focus is on the obsession of Gatsby‚ the protagonist‚ and his feelings for Daisy‚ a married woman who he was previously involved with. The novel also focuses on Gatsby’s determination to make her fall in love with him by the glitz of money and power. Fitzgerald uses the symbols of wealth‚ superficiality and irresponsibility to convey the idea that the American dream is unattainable. Wealth
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| What Makes the Dream American? | A Critical Thought Analysis | | Fairen Harris | University of Louisville | Dr. Chapman Gran Torino: In a nutshell A racist Korean War veteran and recent widower‚ Walt Kowalski is living in a crime ridden town in Detroit‚ Michigan. Walt’s once all White neighborhood has become occupied by the Hmong people. The Hmong people represent a part of Southeast Asia‚ such as Thailand‚ Laos‚ and China. The Hmong came to America because during the war they
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Two-thirds of the American people say the American Dream is becoming harder to achieve‚ especially for young families‚ and they point to financial insecurity and poor quality public education as the most significant barriers‚ according to a new survey released today by the National League of Cities (NLC). The survey‚ conducted in August by KRC Research‚ found that more than one in three Americans feel that they are not living the American Dream and nearly half think it is unattainable for them
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